Terminal 1
Southwest
The eastern end of the horseshoe and the nearest terminal to the LAX-it lot, an easy walk with bags.
LAX: the airport guide
Los Angeles International Airport
LAX handled 73.7 million passengers in 2025 across nine terminals arranged around one long horseshoe of road. It works well once you know its two rules: taxis and ride apps do not stop at the terminals, and the road outside is the slowest part of the trip. This is what to do from the aircraft door to the kerb and back, checked against the airport, the airlines and the transport operators.
The 30-second version
Landing, follow the signs for LAX-it: taxis and ride apps collect only from that lot east of Terminal 1, a walk from there or a free shuttle from the Lower/Arrivals Level of any terminal. For Downtown, the FlyAway bus to Union Station is $12.75 (card or app, no cash) and a taxi is a flat $51.15 plus the $4 airport surcharge. For Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Hollywood, a taxi or a pre-booked driver is the simple answer. Going home, LAX asks for two hours before a domestic flight and three before an international one.
- Passengers in 2025
- 73.7 million (73,709,594)
- Terminals
- 9: Terminals 1 to 8 and Tom Bradley International (Terminal B)
- Downtown LA
- About 26 minutes and 14 miles to Hotel Figueroa from LAX-it
- Taxi to Downtown
- $51.15 flat fare plus the $4 LAX surcharge
- FlyAway to Union Station
- $12.75 one way, contactless card or the FlyAway app, no cash
- Metro
- $1.75; K Line from LAX/Metro Transit Center to Expo/Crenshaw in 21 minutes
- Taxis and ride apps
- LAX-it lot only, east of Terminal 1
- Arrive before departure
- 2 hours domestic, 3 hours international
Book a private transfer
Booked with
A driver meets you in arrivals with your name on a sign, at a fixed price agreed when you book. Booked and paid with Welcome Pickups through our partner Travelpayouts; we may earn a commission.
Terminals
Terminals 2 and 3
Delta and its partners
Delta's hub: a Delta One Lounge in each, and the large Delta Sky Club on the departures level between the two.
Terminal 4
American Airlines
American's Admirals Club is on the concourse level near Gate 41; American Eagle regional flights use the remote Gate 52 complex.
Terminal 6
Alaska Airlines and others
The Alaska Lounge is on the mezzanine near Gate 64 and sells single-entry passes.
Terminals 7 and 8
United and United Express
United's base, with US arrivals processing for its international flights in Terminal 7.
Tom Bradley International (Terminal B)
Most international airlines
The big international terminal in the middle of the horseshoe, with the West Gates beyond it. A refresh began in 2026, ahead of the 2028 Games.
Landing to kerb
Every pick-up point, terminal by terminalPassport control, if you have flown in from abroad
International arrivals are processed in Tom Bradley International and Terminal 7, where CBP's touchless Enhanced Passenger Processing is in use. Mobile Passport Control works at LAX for US citizens, green-card holders, Canadian visitors and returning Visa Waiver travellers with an approved ESTA: fill it in on the app after landing and use the dedicated line. Global Entry members use their own lanes; membership is $120 for five years.
Bags, and how long until the kerb
LAX's own figures for landing to kerb are about 15 minutes with no checked bags, 30 with checked bags and 45 for an international arrival. Give whoever is collecting you those numbers rather than your landing time; drivers wait in the cell phone lots at 6217 W. 96th Street and 5800 W. Century Boulevard until you call.
Taxis and ride apps: LAX-it
Neither stops at the terminals. Walk to the LAX-it lot east of Terminal 1, or take the free LAX-it shuttle from the Lower/Arrivals Level of your terminal. Uber, Lyft and the city's taxis all pick up there.
FlyAway bus
Nonstop buses run from each terminal to Union Station in Downtown and to Van Nuys in the Valley. The fare is $12.75 one way, paid by tapping a contactless Visa or Mastercard as you board or through the FlyAway app; cash is not accepted on any route.
Metro
Look for the pink LAX Shuttles posts on the Lower/Arrivals Level: the free shuttle runs to the LAX/Metro Transit Center, where the K and C Lines stop. A ride is $1.75 with free transfers for two hours, and a contactless bank card works at the gates.
Hire cars
The LAX Rental Car Center at 5251 W. 98th Street brings 12 brands together, among them Alamo, Avis, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Sixt; its shuttle collects from the terminals.
A pre-booked driver
The easy answer for a late landing, children or a lot of luggage: the driver tracks the flight, so a delay costs you nothing, and the price is fixed when you book. Book it on our transfers page and you skip LAX-it altogether.
Kerb to gate
How early
LAX recommends two hours before a domestic flight and three before an international one, and adds that construction means detours and longer shuttle times through the fall. The drive into the horseshoe is where time goes, so leave our hotels with the road in mind, not the security line.
Check in before you leave the hotel
Check in online and have the boarding pass on your phone. You need a REAL ID-compliant licence or a passport at security; for visitors from abroad, the passport is the answer.
Security and the fast lanes
TSA PreCheck costs $85 or less for five years and, by the TSA's figures, about 99 per cent of its passengers wait under 10 minutes. Keep liquids to the 3-1-1 rule.
Use the whole airport
Most terminals are connected after security, so a ticketed passenger can walk to another terminal for a better meal or a lounge. You can also order ahead from many restaurants on LAX Shop+Dine and collect on the way to the gate.
Somewhere to wait
Delta One passengers have lounges in Terminals 2 and 3; the Alaska Lounge in Terminal 6 and American's Admirals Club in Terminal 4 sell passes when there is space; the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in Tom Bradley takes Priority Pass members for a $35 supplement. The lounge list below has the details.
Lounges
Every lounge in detail
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse
- Where
- After the TSA checkpoint in the main atrium, take the lift by the clock tower to the 6th floor
- Access
- Virgin Atlantic Upper Class and eligible members; Priority Pass members pay a $35 supplement per person at the door on top of their visit, entry from 3 hours before departure, 3 hours maximum
- Hours
- 08:00–22:30 daily; Priority Pass entry may be limited from 12:00 because of capacity
The best room at LAX a paying traveller can realistically get into: à la carte food, a cinema and free showers. Arrive before noon if you are counting on Priority Pass.
The Centurion Lounge
- Where
- Airside in Tom Bradley International
- Access
- American Express Platinum and Centurion cardholders, under Amex's own rules
If the card is in your wallet, this is the room to use when flying from Tom Bradley.
Delta One Lounge
- Where
- Terminal 3 across from the Food Court; Terminal 2 on the mezzanine level
- Access
- Delta One passengers and eligible partner premium passengers
- Hours
- Terminal 3 04:15–23:30, Terminal 2 07:00–23:00, daily
Delta's best: an outdoor terrace over the runway, sushi and bento, nap pods and shower suites. Opens early enough for the dawn departures.
Delta Sky Club
- Where
- Departures level between Terminals 2 and 3
- Access
- Sky Club members and eligible Delta premium passengers, under Delta's rules
One of the largest clubs in Delta's system, at more than 30,000 square feet.
Alaska Lounge
- Where
- Mezzanine level, near Gate 64
- Access
- Members, and single-entry passes at $65 per person when there is space, valid with a same-day ticket on Alaska, Hawaiian, a oneworld airline or an Alaska partner
- Hours
- 05:00–23:00 daily
The most dependable pay-in lounge for domestic flights, and it opens early.
Admirals Club
- Where
- Concourse level, near Gate 41
- Access
- Members and eligible premium passengers; a One-Day Pass is $79 or 7,900 AAdvantage miles, with a same-day American or oneworld flight, subject to capacity
- Hours
- 04:30–01:00 daily
Worth the pass on a long wait before an American flight; American also runs an Admirals Club in Tom Bradley, between Gates 151 and 153.
Eat and drink
Ink.SackTom Bradley International
Sandwiches from an LA chef's counter: the best thing to eat on a long-haul departure before the aircraft meal.
Border GrillTom Bradley International
Modern Mexican from an LA restaurant name, for a proper sit-down before the flight.
SantoukaTom Bradley International, West Gates
Hokkaido-style ramen; a bowl of broth is the right meal at the far end of the West Gates.
Santa Monica Brew WorksTom Bradley International
Local beer from the city by the sea, poured airside.
Urth CafféTerminal 1
The LA café that takes its coffee and its salads seriously; the best breakfast in Terminal 1.
Barney's BeaneryTerminal 2
The West Hollywood roadhouse, with burgers, chilli and the game on.
Sealegs Wine BarTerminal 2
A glass of California wine at a proper bar.
Alfred CoffeeTerminal 3
The Melrose Place coffee bar; the flat white to take to a Delta gate.
SlapfishTerminal 2
A California seafood shack: fish tacos and lobster rolls, quicker than a sit-down.
Wahoo's Fish TacoTerminal 6
The Southern California surf-shop taco chain, for a quick plate before an Alaska flight.
Vino VoloTom Bradley International
A wine bar with flights of California wines and small plates for a long wait.
The hotel at Los Angeles LAX
Hyatt Regency Los Angeles International Airport
For an early flight, a late landing or a long wait: the one we would book.
LAX has no hotel inside it, and the Hyatt Regency is the full-service hotel on Century Boulevard closest to the terminal loop, with a shuttle that runs around the clock. A pool and a gym make it a decent place to sit out a long layover.
Hotel shuttles pick up on the upper departures level, and LAX warns of detours and longer shuttle times through the autumn, so leave more time than the distance suggests.
Getting to the terminal
On Century Boulevard at the airport entrance, about 1.5 km from the terminal loop, with a free 24-hour shuttle to every terminal
- Free shuttle to all terminals, 24 hours
- Outdoor pool and fitness centre
- Restaurant and bar on site
- Check-out at noon
The catch: the horseshoe road
LAX's terminals sit around one loop road, and every car, shuttle and bus shares it. That is why taxis and ride apps were moved out to the LAX-it lot, and why LAX itself puts landing to kerb at 30 minutes with checked bags and 45 after an international flight.
LAWA is rebuilding the airport's access as it goes: the Rental Car Center opened in March 2026, the SkyLink people mover is being commissioned, and the airport warns of detours and longer shuttle times through the fall. None of it changes the advice: walk to LAX-it from Terminal 1, take its free shuttle from anywhere else, or have a driver meet you.
Insider notes
FlyAway takes no cash: tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard as you board, or buy in the app before you reach the kerb.
Most terminals are joined after security. If your own terminal has little you want, walk on: Tom Bradley has the best food in the airport.
If someone is collecting you, send them to the cell phone lots at 6217 W. 96th Street or 5800 W. Century Boulevard to wait, not round the loop.
With children
Gameway, the video-game lounge, has rooms in Terminals 3 (05:00–22:00) and 6 (06:00–21:00). LAX's PUPs programme brings therapy dogs into the terminals, there are Kawai pianos in Tom Bradley and Terminal 7, and LAX Cinema is in the Midfield Satellite Concourse South. With pushchairs and car seats, a pre-booked driver who meets you is worth more here than anywhere: LAX-it and the Metro both start with a shuttle bus.
A long wait or an early flight
For a dawn departure the Delta One Lounge in Terminal 3 opens at 04:15 and American's Admirals Club in Terminal 4 at 04:30; the Alaska Lounge opens at 05:00 and the Gameway in Terminal 3 at 05:00. For a long afternoon, the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse has a cinema and showers, and Be Relax runs spas in Terminal 1 (06:00–22:00) and Tom Bradley (09:00–21:00).
Step-free and assistance
Ask your airline for wheelchair assistance when you book and again at check-in. LAX has had a Disability Access and Accommodation Advisory Committee for 25 years. For the simplest kerb, a pre-booked driver avoids the LAX-it shuttle altogether.
Getting to our ten hotels
LAX is the closer airport for five of our ten hotels: Shutters on the Beach and Santa Monica Proper are both about 19 minutes away, The Beverly Hills Hotel 26, Terranea 35 down the Palos Verdes coast and Malibu Beach Inn 38. Hotel Figueroa and Sunset Tower are 26 and 27 minutes from LAX and about the same from Burbank; for Hollywood, Studio City and Silver Lake, Hollywood Burbank is the nearer airport. Every hotel, with the drive from both airports and the way we would go, is on our airport transfers page.
Questions people ask
Good questions about Los Angeles LAX
Where do I get a taxi or an Uber at LAX?
At the LAX-it lot east of Terminal 1, not at the terminals. Walk there from Terminal 1, or take the free LAX-it shuttle from the Lower/Arrivals Level of any terminal.
How much is a taxi from LAX to Downtown Los Angeles?
A flat $51.15 plus the $4 surcharge on every trip from LAX, set by the City of Los Angeles for Downtown between Alameda Street, the 10 and 110 freeways and Cesar Chavez Avenue, plus Union Station and Chinatown. Elsewhere the meter runs: $3.10 to start and $2.97 a mile, with a $16.50 minimum plus the $4 surcharge.
How much is the FlyAway bus from LAX?
$12.75 one way to Union Station or Van Nuys. Tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard as you board or use the FlyAway app; cash is not accepted.
Is the LAX people mover open?
Not yet for passengers. LAWA has said the SkyLink train will run every two minutes between the terminals, the Metro Transit Center and the Rental Car Center when it opens; until then, free shuttle buses do that job.
Can I take the Metro from LAX?
Yes: the free shuttle from the pink LAX Shuttles posts runs to the LAX/Metro Transit Center for the K and C Lines, $1.75 a ride. The K Line reaches Expo/Crenshaw in 21 minutes, where the E Line runs to Santa Monica and Downtown.
How early should I get to LAX?
LAX recommends two hours before a domestic flight and three before an international one. Add the drive: the loop road into the terminals is often the slowest part.
Is there a Priority Pass lounge at LAX?
The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in Tom Bradley International takes Priority Pass members for a $35 supplement per person, 08:00–22:30, with access limited from noon when it is busy. Priority Pass also covers Be Relax spas in Terminal 1 and Tom Bradley and Gameway in Terminals 3 and 6.
Image credits: Benoît Prieur (CC0) · Glenn Beltz from Goleta, CA, USA (CC BY 4.0)